YUNGBLUD is a rockstar who never asked for permission, and in his new Paper Magazine cover story (shot by the iconic Ellen von Unwerth), Dom opens up about everything from early chaos to finding peace in the mess.

The July 2025 issue drops just weeks after the release of his fourth full-length album, “Idols,” a career-defining, double-length project that became his third consecutive No. 1 on the UK Official Albums Chart.

Described by Dom as his very own “rock opera,” the record is a high-voltage reflection on identity, image, and the need to be seen. The album unpacks the weight of fame, the pull of people-pleasing, and the art of breaking out of your own box while all set against a backdrop of stadium-sized guitar riffs and anthemic production.

“When you realize that what people think about you is completely out of your control, you can start to work on yourself,” Dom shared in the interview, a quote that deserves to be printed on every bathroom mirror forever.

Dom, now 27, has come a long way from the 18-year-old kid who burst onto the scene singing about Brexit and self-doubt. “I didn’t know what my gender was. I was confused about my sexuality. Confused about everything. But fuck it, I was writing it in the moment,” he said.

That unfiltered truth is exactly what’s always made YUNGBLUD stand out. This era proves that growth doesn’t mean silence; it means speaking even louder, this time with intention.

Fresh off BLUDFEST Year 2, Dom is clearly not slowing down. Instead, he’s expanding his universe: louder, smarter, and more unapologetically himself than ever.

“You either die or become a pastiche of yourself,” he says. But with Idols, he’s done the opposite… he’s reborn.

Buy and stream, “IDOLS,” out now